State Opposition leader Basil Zempilas has left the door ajar for the WA Liberals to follow their Federal counterparts if they decide to scrap a net zero emissions target.
A divided Federal Liberal party room in Canberra is set to decide on a net zero position by the end of the parliamentary sitting year in the wake of the Nationals officially scrapping the policy on Sunday.
Mr Zempilas has previously backed the “status quo” and on Wednesday he insisted “only a mug” would turn their back on net zero after successive election defeats.
“Those two words (net zero) put together for a lot of people, have come to mean being kind to the environment, recycling more, less emissions going into the atmosphere,” he told 6PR Radio.
“So to turn your back on it completely would not be smart and would not be sensible.
“Only a mug would not heed the lessons of two elections back to back and to walk away and suddenly decide, I know best, don’t worry about what the election results said.”
Minutes later, he appeared to hedge his bets and told reporters he would take his lead on the issue from others.
“I take my lead from the people of Western Australia, that’s what I am in this position to do, so it’s the people of Western Australia that I listen to, and I take a lead from our Federal colleagues,” Mr Zempilas said.
“I think everybody knows there is a review underway, the Federal position from the Liberal Party has not been made clear as yet, that is going to be announced in coming weeks, or very soon, and at that time if we have something else to consider, then I will consider it.
“But my position is unchanged because there has been no catalyst for a change in position from me or from the WA Liberals team.”
The other half of the State Opposition alliance has already launched a review of its climate policy.
Nationals WA leader Shane Love said on Monday his party was taking time to “carefully consider” the report which led to the Federal decision.
https://thewest.com.au/politics/state-politics/basil-zempilas-leaves-door-ajar-for-net-zero-review-as-federal-liberals-mull-scrapping-policy-c-20583344
